You Can Now Use Face Recognition on Your SingPass Account
Currently, if you want to verify your SingPass Account, you will have to choose between sign in via the app or using your one-time password (OTP), however, starting from 16 December 2020 onwards 2 more new ways will be added when it comes to verifying your SingPass account.
Face Recognition
Just like how you unlock your newer smartphones, now you can scan your face using the front camera of your mobile phone or Internet-enabled computer with a connected Web Camera. According to GovTech, SingPass users will still need to input their login details and when they are requested to verify their identity, they can get the device to scan their face which will be matched against the national biometric database. However, this method is not available for the SingPass Mobile app. While to protect against fraud, the technology is designed to detect and stop attempts of using photographs, video,s or masks during the verification process.
OTP Sent to Another Trusted User
The 2nd way you can verify your identity is by sending an OTP to another trusted user via SMS and this person can then help the original account holder to complete the transaction they required to do. To activate this service, both parties must turn up at any SingPass counter with their NRIC or FIN on the arrangement.
According to Mr. Kwok Quek Sin, the Senior Director of National Identity at GovTech, they understand that not everyone is tech-savvy and know how to navigate the smartphone and computers, therefore with the 2 new methods, even people who are not tech-savvy will be able to access SingPass services.